


Nimbus

by Puffinpastry



Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Erik is a Good Boyfriend, Fear of Thunderstorms, Fluff, Hero | Luminary is Named Eleven | El (Dragon Quest XI), M/M, Mute Hero | Luminary (Dragon Quest XI), No Spoilers, Phobias
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:08:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25192942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puffinpastry/pseuds/Puffinpastry
Summary: There are worse places to wait out a storm than in good company.
Relationships: Camus | Erik/Hero | Luminary (Dragon Quest XI)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 39





	Nimbus

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this as a tumblr prompt a few months ago, but currently sitting through a thunderstorm myself, I thought I’d clean it up a bit to post.

“Looks like we’ll be here for a while.” Erik said, even though El couldn’t hear him, locking his phone and laying it face-down on the table. He wouldn’t be getting any messages for the time being, and he didn’t need any more electrical storm warnings flashing their anxiety-inducing alarms at him. 

But no more busses would be running for the day with this storm raging, and it would be two hours at the very least before any of their friends would be free to save them from the torrential downpour outside.

Thank the gods for 24-hour chain coffee shops.

Thunder crashed outside, and the wind rattled the glass window panes.

The storm had rolled in out of nowhere, turning the nice spring afternoon to pitch night and halting any further plans the two of them had for their night.

Erik should know better than to try and do anything out of the house in April.

The bell on the counter rang, and Erik heard the barista call his name.

He took a moment at the counter to look outside.

The nice sunny day had turned dark fast under the cover of gunmetal grey clouds and pounding rain.

The spindly trees whipped around in the gale, and the streets were covered in standing water.

Not one car drove by on the normally busy road.

Who knew how long it could last?

Taking the two mis-labeled drinks in hand, and ignoring the burn from the second, Erik turned back to the furthest corner of the empty little shop, where a single booth sat out of view of the windows. 

El sat sideways on the bench, Erik’s headphones covering his ears, and some music video playing on his phone, a phone that he was holding  _ far too close to his eyes _ . 

Setting down both drinks, Erik pulled the phone away for just a moment. ‘It’s going to be a couple of hours.’ Erik signed, ‘You going to be alright?’ 

El nodded at him, and gave a small, but shaky, smile. 

Keeping the storm out of sight and having his music on loud enough to drown out the thunder helped, but even out of sight it wasn’t out of mind.

Erik didn’t know exactly what it was that gave Eleven his fear of storms, but it wasn’t his business unless El decided to share. He didn’t need the reason to do what he could to help.

Thunder clapped loudly again, and El startled. Even as loud as he could stand it, the music couldn’t block out every sound. 

Erik was no good at helping him through these things.

He should’ve kept a closer eye on the doppler, cancelled their plans, and just stayed in, where Erik had his little stash of storm supplies ready for these kinds of days. Fluffy blankets, old movies, a bunker-worthy supply of hot chocolate and microwave popcorn… 

But instead, they were sitting around sopping wet in a cheap coffee shop, and all he had to offer was a mediocre mocha coffee and an old pair of headphones he’d only just happened to have buried somewhere in his car.

Movement in the corner of his eye caught Erik’s attention.

El was waving at him.

‘Thanks for all this.’ It was still shaky, and less than reassuring, but Eleven was smiling. ‘For putting up with me.’

Or, just  _ maybe, _ he was good at this. ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s never any trouble.’


End file.
